


It's a Cold and it's a Broken Hallelujah

by I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own



Series: Malec One Shots [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Devils Advocate Lorenzo, Dramatic Warlocks putting on a show for the world, Good Guy Lorenzo, S3E10 Coda, and leaning on each other when they're alone, but so totally not the last time, in which one of my prevailing headcanons rears its head for the first
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 18:15:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14721128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own/pseuds/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own
Summary: In which Magnus wasn't so much ousted, as voluntarily stood down, and Lorenzo proves to be a Devil's Advocate.





	It's a Cold and it's a Broken Hallelujah

It’s not like he can blame Lorenzo, for all that he really, really wants to. Lorenzo is just playing his part a little too well, he always has. But they both signed up to this.

_“Magnus, we need to know, that you’re not compromised.” Tessa tells him, and Magnus stares at her for the longest time before he takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly._

_“My heart is bleeding.” He whispers, and there’s quiet all around the room for a few moments, before Tessa nods._

_“Okay.” She and the others all turn to look at Lorenzo, who is busy staring into his drink._

_“I never wanted Brooklyn.” Lorenzo says, looking up. “I was happy being in the shadows, being the one everyone came too when Magnus was… far too busy doing all the things a High Warlock has to do. But… if it is required of me, I will step up and do my duty.”_

_“I-I want to let the wind carry me where it will, let the sea take me and lay me down wherever peace may be, but-“ Magnus swallows heavily, and looks away from them all._

_“But your heart is bleeding, not shattered, and you can’t.” Lorenzo replies, nodding his head in understanding. “I think we’ve all been there.”_

_“Of course, we have, I chose Loss as my last name to remind myself not to fall for those who I will outlive. It hasn’t worked out so well.” Catarina says, playing with the pendant hanging from her neck._

_“Magnus, if you do this, if you step down, you know that I will not make the same decisions you would have. I will not help the Clave, in any fashion while we do not benefit directly.” Lorenzo warns, Magnus nods his head in understanding._

_“No, I know. I get it.”_

_“You’ll hate me when things are all said and done.”_

_“I know. But I’ll get over it, in a century, in two, in five, in ten. We both will.”_

Magnus clings as tightly to Alec as he can, his hands shaking, he wills his magic to come to him, to rise up from where he can feel it rippling beneath his skin, but he knows it won’t. Knows it will stay locked away, under his skin, forever within reach, but ever out of touch.

“Stay with me, Alec.” Magnus whispers, as he pulls his phone from his pocket, and switches it on, the seconds ticking by as it slowly powers up. There’s a million, million people he could call to come to his aid, but he only chooses one. “Help.” He says, and rattles off his location, and he waits, he waits for the sound of the portal swirling in the air, and he waits as he hears the running footsteps.

“Magnus?” he glances up when his name is called, his face for once unmasked his emotions clear for all to see, though his true eyes are hidden away behind a perma-glamour, until his magic returns to his command.

“I don’t… I can't... Asmodeus took my magic in payment.” Magnus explains, before looking back down at Alec. “Please help him.” There is silence for but a moment, before Lorenzo is at Alec’s other side, magic already crackling from his fingers, and flowing into Alec.

“Pull the arrow when I say.” Lorenzo commands, Magnus nods stiffly, and gives Alec an encouraging smile, Alec just smiles softly back at him and closes his eyes, falling into the dreamland. “Now.” Magnus pulls the arrow in one smooth move, and the blood bubbles up to fill the gap, but Lorenzo and Magnus have both taken pointers from the best healers over the years, and Lorenzo’s quick to heal the wound. Lorenzo glances at Magnus, a frown on his face. “We’ll talk about your magic later, when there’s not a Shadowhunter listening in.” he says, pushing to his feet and taking a step back. “Look after him.” He states, forming a portal, and sweeping it towards Magnus, who doesn’t have a chance to protest before he and Alec are on the floor outside his loft.

His wards sing at him in greeting, and he stares at the visible magic, confused to be able to see it, to be able to feel it, how it even still exists, but it accepts him as he places his hand on the door, and he hears the lock disengage and the door slowly swings open. Magnus decides he’ll question it later, as he lifts Alec into his arms and carries him inside, settling him down on their bed.

* * *

 

He wants to blame Lorenzo, for everything, but if he’d made smarter decisions, kept himself conscious of the fact the Seelie Queen lies through misdirection and manipulation, he’d have been able to get the Warlocks to help him, would never have had to lay eyes on Asmodeus again, and Alec wouldn't have been lying in that alleyway, bleeding out.

But he was a fool.

He only has himself to blame.

**Author's Note:**

> 'My heart is bleeding' tied together with 'I will let the wind carry me where it will, and the sea take me wherever peace may be.' has become a headcanonny thing for me with the Warlock's, like it's an ancient saying they've passed down for generations, and it means 'I fell in love with a mortal, and now I don't know where home is when they're not with me, I will set down no roots until my heart is healed.' Magnus is basically saying that even though his heart is bleeding, he can't just up and leave, because Alec is still alive and still wants to be with him.


End file.
